The Nuts and Bolts of Teacher-Librarianship

The Reference Interview

The thing about conducting reference interview with kids is that they are not always certain what to ask or how to ask in order to get what they need. It requires a skilled and attentive teacher-librarian to flesh out what is actually needed or to make an “accurate connection between information and the needs of students.” (Riedling, 100)

The challenge is that this can take a lot of time and the teacher-librarian likely has many pots on the stove. The hope is that by the time the student gets to the teacher-librarian that they have gone through the “focus” portion of the inquiry process (Research Quest) and are at the points of “What do I know?” and “What do I need to know?”

Another insight I took away from this is that classroom teachers aren’t always the

best at communicating what they’re working on with the teacher-librarian. As a result the T-L is often caught unprepared when students come seeking help with research. The implication here is that teacher-librarians need to focus on relationship-building with classroom teachers. Having regular talks or collaboration sessions will help make the jobs of both professionals so much easier.

The Job

I feel very strongly that the most important element of the school library or learning commons are multiple ways to access information and stimulate learning. As opposed to the traditional library, where print materials were the primary focus, the learning commons incorporates technology, play and creative materials working alongside the more traditional print sources. The school library is essential in teaching students critical thinking skills and collaborative learning, skills that are deeply rooted in BC's revised curriculum. The idea that kids can have so much autonomy in their own access to information is so empowering.

But with such a rich learning environment the teacher-librarian is busier than ever and the expectations to deliver such a space are high. Riedling writes that the physical library (and a librarian running the space) is more important than ever because students need assistance in wading through the vast amounts of information available at their fingertips and need an expert to teach them critical information literacy skills (116). The list of roles the teacher-librarian takes on is seemingly endless: teacher, innovator media specialist, collaborator, collections specialist, curriculum specialist, etc. Time management and prioritizing become very important in the role of teacher-librarian.

Challenges of Keeping an Exemplary Reference Collection

I’m sure it is most (if not every) teacher-librarian’s dream to have a shiny, new and current collection but I’m afraid the reality of this might be far-fetched. Yes, it’s easy to weed out the bad and the ugly, but replacing them is another story. A new teacher-librarian might come into an old, stagnant library and weed 30% of the collection, but will certainly not be able to replace everything on a limited budget.

Granted, not everything will need replacing, there’s something to be said for having a smaller but higher quality collection. But I still feel as though this will be an uphill battle. Resources, especially print, can potentially become outdated relatively quickly. So the challenge becomes buying highly sought-after resources that will fit into the budget.

Works Cited

Riedling, Ann. Reference Skills for the School Librarian: Tools and Tips, 3rd Edition. ABC-CLIO. Kindle Edition.

* All pictures acquired through Creative Commons and are labelled for noncommercial reuse.